do what you think will work best for you, i went back and forth between tubs or actual tanks and decided to go with tubs. they hold humidity well, temps stay where they need to be and the snakes are happy. they eat, shed and chill. as for getting a baby or a more adult thats completely up to you they live very long and it depends if you want to raise one or just have one that already has size and you dont have to worry about it growing anymore. good luck